India on Friday strongly rejected allegations made by former Japanese minister Hideki Makihara that New Delhi was responsible for delays in the Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed rail project, asserting that the landmark India-Japan venture is progressing according to plan and remains a symbol of the deep strategic partnership between the two nations.
The controversy erupted after Makihara, a former justice minister and member of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party, posted sharp criticism on social media, accusing India of failing to honor commitments and hindering progress on the ambitious Shinkansen-based bullet train project. He further alleged that Japan had been sidelined from the signalling system, a critical component of high-speed rail safety.
In unusually blunt remarks, Makihara claimed that repeated negotiations with the Indian side were marked by broken promises and self-interest, arguing that delays in the project were “entirely on the Indian side.” He also questioned the absence of tangible progress despite recent high-level engagement between Indian and Japanese leaders.
Responding during the Ministry of External Affairs’ weekly media briefing, spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal dismissed the comments as a personal view that did not reflect the reality of bilateral cooperation. “We have seen the post that has been referred to. It is an individual opinion and at considerable variance with facts,” Jaiswal said, emphasizing that discussions between India and Japan on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail project are advancing smoothly.
The MEA clarified that Japan’s next-generation E10 series Shinkansen trains, which are expected to operate on the corridor, are still under development and are scheduled for delivery only in the early 2030s. Given the rapid pace of infrastructure construction, both countries have agreed that initial operations will begin with indigenously developed Indian high-speed trains.
“The train in question is still under development. Meanwhile, construction work has rapidly progressed. The first section will be opened in 2027 itself. Therefore, both sides agreed to start the operations with Indian high-speed trains,” Jaiswal said.
The government also rejected claims that Japan had been excluded from the signalling system. According to the MEA, no Japanese proposal was received for that component, and procurement decisions were made in line with international specifications to ensure timely execution of the project.
“The signalling equipment has been ordered accordingly and is in line with international specifications. No Japanese offer was received in this context,” Jaiswal noted.
The clarification comes as India prepares for a major milestone in its high-speed rail ambitions. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has announced that the first operational segment of the country’s maiden bullet train service—the Surat-Bilimora stretch—will be inaugurated on August 15, 2027, marking the beginning of commercial operations on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad corridor.
Despite the latest controversy, Japan continues to be a central partner in the project, providing financial assistance, technology, and engineering expertise. The high-speed rail corridor remains one of the most significant infrastructure collaborations between the two countries and is expected to be implemented in phases over the coming years.
With construction advancing and both governments reaffirming their commitment, New Delhi has signaled that the project remains firmly on track, dismissing suggestions that bilateral cooperation has faltered and reiterating its goal of delivering India’s first bullet train within the planned timeline.
